Finally, Easter Photos

Here are a few photos from the Easter celebrations here in Pesé:

 Dia de San José - Patron Saint of Pesé

This was the float during the parade around town at night after the mass.

 

 Statue of Jesus in the church

 The church on Palm Sunday

Jesus on the "donkey" heading to Jerusalem

Palm Sunday events - parading through the streets - note the flowers strewn about on the road

 
[Side-note: The Last Supper reenactment got rained out - the first real rain I saw here, which lasted practically all day on Thursday. Oh well, I have next year.]

 The angel appearing to Jesus on the Mount of Olives

 

Judas kissing Jesus right before he was arrested

Walking through the streets with the roman soldiers

Jesus vs. Barnabas - and the crowd wanted Barnabas free... 

Really? The funny looking guy with the fro vs. the guy in white? haha

Then they took Jesus behind the set and "beat" him, and he came out looking all bloody - then they put the crown of thorns on him. 

 

 The other criminals walking through the streets to be crucified.

 Jesus carrying his cross to be crucified, and being whipped as he went.

Jesus on the cross - this was pretty powerful for me as
I've never seen the Passion of the Christ or anything-
I was a little far away for my camera to get a really good shot,
but it really looked like he was nailed up there (though obviously he wasn't,
and they were standing on something), though the other two criminals were clearly tied

 Jesus and the two criminals surrounded by the soldiers and Mary

"My God, into Thy hands I commit my spirit."

Taking Jesus off of the cross

I wanted to get a photo of the 3 crosses alone, but my camera died. 

But it was beautiful with the white cloth.

Happy Easter! Jesus is risen! The float to be paraded around town on Easter Sunday. 

I actually helped push the one with the Virgin Mary (though I didn't get a good photo of it)

Easter here was definitely a new experience and really showed what Jesus went through in the days leading up to his crucifixion. Even with this fact, it seems to me that a lot of people here say they are Catholic, but don't really practice. It's not quite as extreme as it is in Europe, but it doesn't seem to me to be a true living-of-the-faith type culture, even though references to God and Catholicism are ever-present in Panamanian life. But either way, it's a good reminder of our Maker!